Vanessa Abrams
Vanessa Abrams is a character in the televison series Gossip Girl and the book series of the same name. She is portrayed by actress Jessica Szohr on the television show. She is the daughter of Arlo and Gabriela Abrams. She and Dan Humphrey grew up together in the city and their feelings for each other multiplied as the years went on. Despite this fact, neither of them acted on those feelings until the night Vanessa moved away with her parents to Vermont. Before her departure, Dan confessed that he was in love with Vanessa, and although she felt the same way, she left nonetheless. Television Series Season 1 Vanessa is officially introduced in the sixth episode of the season, entitled "The Handmaiden's Tale". While talking on the phone with Dan, she appears on his fire escape and the two gladly reunite. She announces that she's decided to move back to the city and live with her sister, Ruby. She also mentions that she missed Dan while she was away and has repeatedly thought about the last words he said to her before she moved to Vermont. Vanessa helps Dan's younger sister, Jenny Humphrey, sneak into a masquerade ball, and she decides to sneak in herself, where she spots Dan and attempts to reconcile their relationship. It is then revealed that Dan's last words to Vanessa were "I love you", but despite this fact, Dan says that he's moved on and is dating Serena van der Woodsen. Vanessa gets teary eyed and abandons the party, however the two friends make up later in Dan's bedroom. They share a snack while Dan fills her in on everything that's changed in his life. In "Victor Victrola", Vanessa acts as a mentor for Jenny, giving the young blonde some advice about parental issues. She seems to express some jealousy when she stumbles in on Dan and Serena about to have sex. However, in the next episode, she and Serena bond over Guitar Hero after Dan explains that Vanessa is his best friend and that the two will always share a special bond from their childhood. Later, Serena and Vanessa engage in conversation and get to know each other better. On Christmas day, Serena feels a bit jealous when Vanessa gets Dan the perfect present (by publishing his short story in The New Yorker). Vanessa makes a rival out of Blair Waldorf when Blair suspects her of liking Dan as more than a friend. Despite her suspicions, Vanessa helps Serena create the only thing Dan wanted for Christmas, snow. In "School Lies", Vanessa accompanies Dan to a pool party on school property. Someone nearly dies at the party, however, and when Vanessa catches a confidential conversation between Chuck Bass and Blair on camera, it becomes the most sought after item on the Upper East Side. Chuck tries to bribe Vanessa into giving her the tape, but she tricks him and takes his money anyway. When Blair asks for the tape, Vanessa concedes without any conditions attached. Despite this, Blair pays Vanessa's rent for a year to thank her for giving up the tape, which would have ruined Blair's reputation. When the SATs roll around, Vanessa helps Dan with his studying. This leads to her official introduction to Nate Archibald. The two bicker and banter light heartedly, but when Vanessa finds a practice essay Nate wrote for the SATs, she sees a more vulnerable side to him. The two spend the day together and Vanessa listens to his problems. Despite their coming from different worlds, they realise they have a lot in common and end the night with a kiss. The next day, Nate takes Vanessa on a surprise date where he tells her she should take the SATs just to ensure that she has options. He pays and registers for her, and after finally giving in, the two enter into a relationship. When she finds out that Georgina Sparks is not who she says she is, Vanessa confronts her and says she knows her real name, as well as her intentions. Despite this fact, Georgina escapes with Dan, who continues to believe the lies she tells him. In the season finale, "Much 'I Do' About Nothing" Vanessa prepares for Lily Bass Humphrey and Bart Bass's wedding. Once she's all dressed up in one of Jenny's designs, Dan tells her that she cleans up nice, before the two proceed to the wedding together. After the ceremony, Nate, burdened by the myriad of problems with his father, tells Vanessa he's not ready to be in a relationship, and the two break up. Later, Vanessa and Dan's friendship grows as they bond over their break ups. Season 2 Vanessa spends the summer redecorating Rufus Humphrey's art gallery and turning the extra space into a cafe. Nate confides in her the financial circumstances of his father's debts and although the two seem interested in each other, Nate is continuously too busy to hang out with her. Vanessa pushes him away because of this, but he confesses that he does want a relationship with her. During a city wide blackout, however, the older woman Nate slept with throughout summer, Catherine Beaton, threatens to turn Nate's father into the police if Nate ever leaves her. Vanessa sacrifices her relationship with Nate for the Captain's safety and tells Nate she doesn't want to be with him. Later, Vanessa snaps a photo of Catherine when she sees the older woman making out with her stepson, hoping to use it as blackmail. She learns the consequences of her meddling, however, when she realises that telling Catherine's husband of her affair left Nate as penniless as ever, whereas Blair was going to gain back the Archibald's riches. Nate becomes upset with Vanessa, not because she made him lose the money, but because she never confided in him. Vanessa helps Jenny convince Rufus to let her do home schooling. She further displays her charitable side by helping save the Brooklyn Inn from auction and petitioning for landmark status. When Blair refuses to cooperate with the charity, Vanessa blackmails her by using the photo of Catherine and Marcus Beaton kissing, which, if exploited, would humiliate Blair. The Queen of Constance is therefore forced to comply, but conspires with Chuck to destroy Vanessa. The two intend to seduce and humiliate her. At Lily's housewarming party, Vanessa witnesses the more vulnerable side of Chuck and the two bond briefly. She's embarrassed, however, when she learns it was all Blair's ploy, and turns her back on them both. During Jenny's Guerrillia fashion show, Vanessa spots Nate and Jenny kissing. She feels betrayed by both of them, since she still had feelings for Nate and since she and Jenny were such close friends. In turn, on Thanksgiving, Vanessa hides an important letter from Jenny. This letter was a confessions of Nate's feelings for Jenny and his desire to be with her. Not knowing about the letter that was kept from her, Jenny reconciles her friendship with Vanessa. Around Christmas time, Vanessa and Nate repair their relationship, which they try to hide from Jenny. The blonde discovers a picture of them kissing on Gossip Girl, however, and embarrasses Vanessa by giving her a see through dress, which everyone mocks at the Snowflake Ball. A teary eyed Vanessa runs off, leaving Nate to tell Jenny that he's not the girl he though she was. He chooses Vanessa and the two speed away in a taxi as a broken hearted Jenny watches from afar. Vanessa tries not to interfere with Serena and Dan's relationship, and instead celebrates her two month anniversary with Nate at the opera, where the two happily kiss and mock the other people at the theatre. When the seniors of Constance Billard and St. Jude's are forced to put on a play. Nate worries that Vanessa is attracted to the play's director, seeing as the two have so much in common. This leads to a heated argument between Vanessa and him, in which the two fight about their differences and insecurities. Later, Vanessa goes to Nate's house and they make up, deciding to watch The Age of Innocence together. In "The Grandfather", Vanessa and Nate make plans to travel Europe together over summer break. Nate feels manipulated by his family to intern at the mayor's office and Vanessa worries that he's being controlled by his grandfather. Eventually, Nate decides he will intern for the mayor, which he announces in a speech. After hearing this, a disappointed Vanessa leaves the party. She goes over to the Humphrey's, where she tells Jenny that her relationship with Nate might in fact be over. A week later, Vanessa and Chuck see Blair and Nate hugging. The two then conspire to tear their friendship apart. Vanessa attempts to make Nate jealous by kissing Chuck at Jenny's party, but when Nate and Blair appear unfazed, Vanessa and Chuck really do sleep together. In Southern Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", Vanessa and Dan play the drinking game I Never, in which she admits to sleeping with Chuck twice and regretting it both times. In the season finale, The Goodbye Gossip Girl", Vanessa and Nate catch up and become friends at the Constance/ St. Jude's Graduation. A week later, Nate tells her that the mayor hit on him, so he quit his internship. He and Vanessa reinstate their summer plans to go backpacking through Europe. The three unknowingly get to know Scott Rosson, the love child of Lily and Rufus. Afterwards, Dan receives a suspicious phone call from Georgina who tells both Vanessa and Dan that she'll be seeing them at NYU next year. Season 3 It's revealed that Vanessa did indeed spend her summer backpacking through Europe with Nate and the two had a fling one night, but remain good friends and nothing more. When she returns to New York, she gets to know Scott, and develops a crush on him. When she discovers that Dan's been living the high life thanks to the van der Woodsen's and has been hiding it from her, she fights with him and eventually tells him that despite his wealth, he needs to be himself in order for her to be friends with him. Scott and Vanessa begin dating and Scott encourages Vanessa to stay friends with Dan. When Vanessa moves into her dorm at NYU, she realises that she shares the hall with Blair and Georgina. Vanessa and Georgina become friends after Vanessa forgives her for her past behaviour, whereas Vanessa and Blair's rivalry deepens. She grows suspicious of Scott and eventually discovers he is not a student at NYU. When she confronts him, he confesses that he's Lily and Rufus' son and she encourages him to tell them. Scott eventually tells Lily and Rufus the truth at their wedding and moves back to Boston, promising to come down and visit the now broken hearted Vanessa. Famous actress Olivia Burke becomes Vanessa's new roommate, and the two become immediate friends. Olivia and Dan embark on a relationship, but when they have a threesome with Vanessa, the trip become awkward around each other, resulting in Vanessa and Olivia fighting over Dan. Once Olivia realises that Dan's true feelings lie with Vanessa, she breaks up with him and moves out of NYU to continue pursuing her acting career. In "The Debarted", Dan finally confesses his love for Vanessa, who becomes confused and tries to brush off the subject. In "The Lady Vanished", however, she admits that she loves him as well and that although she doesn't want to ruin her friendship with him, she wants to explore these feelings, starting with being friends with benefits. The two finally begin their relationship. Their relationship becomes problematic when Vanessa secretly applies to NYU's program for writers, Tisch, which Dan has also applied for. Despite their competition, Vanessa is chosen by the program and although this causes further issues between the two, Dan eventually expresses pride in Vanessa. Later, however, their relationship hits another obstacle when Dan discovers that Vanessa has received an offer difficult to reject: to work in Haiti, assisting the disaster aid as well as filming for CNN. When Dan tells Vanessa he knows she's been offered this position, she insists on not going and staying in the city with Dan to work on their relationship. Dan eventually convinces Vanessa to accept the offer, however, when he informs her that it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Thus, Vanessa says a tearful goodbye to Dan and leaves, the couple planning on engaging in a long distance relationship. In "Last Tango, Then Paris", while Vanessa is still in Haiti, Nate sends her a Gossip Girl blast that includes a picture of Dan and Serena in bed together, implying that Dan has cheated on her. Season 4 Vanessa returns from Haiti angered with Dan for his lack of apology about the picture that was sent to her. She sympathises with him, however, when he sees that Dan has been taking care of baby Milo Humphrey, whom Georgina says is the offspring of herself and Dan. Vanessa questions Georgina's story, as well as her motive, but decides to support Dan in his decision to take care of Milo. After Nate and Juliet Sharp tell Vanessa that Dan still has feelings for her, Vanessa takes a chance and seduces Dan, sleeping with him on the living room couch. She later discovers that Nate and Juliet were lying, however, and becomes enraged when she realises that both of the boys were simply using her, in a sense, to win over Serena. Dan apologises later and admits that his feelings for Serena truly are gone. He chooses Vanessa, and the two reconcile their relationship. Vanessa moves in with Dan in "The Undergraduates", in order to help more closely with caring for baby Milo. She and Dan find out from Georgina, however, that Milo is in fact not Dan's son, and Georgina leaves town with the baby. Vanessa and Dan decide to live together anyway, and although this initially causes problems between them, their love remains. Once Vanessa, Juliet and Jenny take down Serena and Dan finds out Vanessa was involved she moves back in with her parents. Vanessa returns to Manhattan in "While You Weren't Sleeping" and attempts to make amends with Dan (it is stated that she'd been trying to contact him via e-mail and phone previously). When she is refused (through Ben Donovan, who is staying at the loft), Vanessa arrives at Eric van der Woodsen's birthday party to try again. Dan rejects her angrily. telling her that he won't be chasing after her. Vanessa leaves, seemingly defeated, but overhears Ben threaten Damien Dalgaard with physical harm while she's hailing a cab. 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